#march4nhs

On Tuesday 19 May I'm playing a benefit gig for 999 Call for the NHS​, the anti-privatisation campaign group that organised the 300-mile People's March for the NHS last summer.

The concert will be held on at The Forum Music Centre​ in Darlington, starting at 7.00pm, and entry is £4 on the door. Also on the bill are Teesside's premier health & safety risk Werbeniuk​, holler-folkist Icarus Williams​, female vocal group Vintage Belles​, singer-songwriter Andrew Yeadon and sultry chanteuse Joanne Land.

Further details on the Facebook event at www.facebook.com/events/1569703799921043.

New members welcom

Hartlepool & Stockton-on-Tees Clinical Commissioning Group is planning to outsource local services.  'Outsourcing' is the latest buzzword for privatisation – ie, putting public services in the hands of profit-making businesses.

The People's NHS aims to stop the privatisation of our National Health Service and there's a meeting on Thursday aimed at launching a local campaign against Hartlepool & Stockton CCG's plans.

The meeting will be held on Thursday 28 August at 6.00pm in Stockton Central Library, Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees TS18 1TU.

Please come along, have your say and get involved in this important campaign.

There's a Facebook event for this meeting at www.facebook.com/events/1473097689609438.  If you're on Facebook, please use the 'invite friends' button to let your contacts know about it.

Meanwhile, the People's March for the NHS continues its journey from Jarrow to Westminster.

At the time of writing, our intrepid marchers, led by the #DarloMums, have reached Sheffield and will be heading through Chesterfield, Mansfield, Nottingham, Loughborough and Leicester during the rest of this week.

Details of the People's March route can be found at http://999callfornhs.org.uk/detailed-map-route/4583636068 and progress updates and photos are posted regularly at http://999callfornhs.org.uk/news-info/4583672563.

If you use social media, look out for news on Twitter and Facebook, using the hashtag #March4NHS, and please help spread the word.

Next week sees the start of the People’s March for the NHS.

This is a march from Jarrow to London being led by a group of mums from Darlington who are outraged at the government’s assault on the National Health Service through cuts and privatisation.

The 300-mile march is intended to highlight what’s happening to the NHS and it has received support from a range of organisations and members of the public.

The organisers want people to come along and show their support in whatever way they can, whether that’s joining the march for a mile, 10 miles or the whole 300, attending some of the rallies and events en route, making a donation or raising funds, writing to their MPs or helping to spread the word via social media (hashtag #March4NHS).

Local #March4NHS events coming up soon include the following:

Wednesday 13 August – Fundraising gig, organised by Sunderland People’s Assembly, and featuring performances from Tony Bengtsson, Steve Cooke, Icarus Williams and Joanne Land (entry £6/£3). 7.30pm in Independent, 27/28 Holmeside, Sunderland SR1 3JE – www.facebook.com/events/701206636582355

Saturday 16 August – People's March for the NHS launch rally, organised by Northern TUC. 10.00am at Jarrow Town Hall, Grange Road, Jarrow NE32 3LE – www.tuc.org.uk/events/peoples-march-nhs-jarrow-rally

Then join the march from 11.00am, arriving in Chester-le-Street around 4.00pm – www.facebook.com/events/726243497407103

Sunday 17 August – Chester-le-Street to Ferryhill via Durham. Leaving Chester-le-Street at 10.30am, arriving in Durham about 2.30am, then on to Ferryhill – www.facebook.com/events/1444898992417851

Monday 18 August – Ferryhill to Darlington.  Leaving Ferryhill at 10.00, arriving in Darlington Market Place at 5.00pm – www.facebook.com/events/726169934100897

Monday 18 August – ‘Meet the marchers’ rally.  Trade union/labour movement speakers and discussion.  7.30pm in Central Hall, Dolphin Centre, Horsemarket, Darlington DL1 5RP – www.facebook.com/events/829759810382241

Tuesday 19 August – Darlington to Northallerton.  Leaving Darlington Market Place at 10.00am – www.facebook.com/events/633782746715514

Further details of the #March4NHS route and events planned for other towns and cities are available at http://999callfornhs.org.uk/detailed-map-route/4583636068. 

You can donate to #March4NHS at http://999callfornhs.org.uk/donations-page/4585633320.

For further information, please email [email protected], see the official website at http://999callfornhs.org.uk or follow the marchers on social media via www.facebook.com/999CallfortheNHS and www.twitter.com/999CallforNHS.